Bedstead-fastening



'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SANDY HARRIS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BEDSTEAD-FASTENING.

Specication of Letters Patent No. 16,276, dated December 23, 1856.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, SANDY HARRIS, of the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Fastening for the Joints of Bedsteads and All others Which it May be Desirable to Take Apart with Facility; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure I is a perspective view of the fastening, complete and closed as when attached to the oint and made fast, Fig. II, a section represent-ing one member, Fig. III, a section representing another, and Fig. IV, a section representing the wedge.

I take a metallic plate, Fig. II, cast iron generally will answer, say three and a half inches square and a quarter of an inch thick. The edge B, I turn up a quarter of an inch, so as to for1n` a right angle on the outside, and an acute angle or dovetail on the inside. Across the middle of this dovetail and down to the surface of the plate, I make a groove C, three eighths of an inch wide. On the margin of edge D, opposite the groove C, I place the wedge box E. This is one inch and a quarter along the margin, seven eighths of an inch the other way, an inch and a half high, and has a mortise through it, pointing up and down the margin, a quarter by seven eighths of an inch. The inside of the box at the top of the mortise, is convex, so as to obtrude the eighth of an inch upon the mortise. Fig. III, is a similar plate, though not so wide one way by a quarter of an inch. This is constructed with a tongue, F, on one edge, in the center, and long enough, and wide enough to fill the groove C, Fig. II. The shoulders G, on either side of this tongue, are so formed as to fit in the dovetails on either side of the groove. In the edge opposite the tongue, an opening, H, is formed, sufficiently large to go over the wedge box E, Fig. II, and admit of an eighth of an inch play in the direction of the groove and dovetails. On a line with the back of this opening, across the plate, though an eighth of an inch nearer the divisions I, a flange of the thickness of the plate, rises, say three inches. In this flange a recess, J, is formed, so as to admit of the play which I have referred to. At the two divisions E, on each side of the opening H, the angles formed with the fianges A, are filled up with a triangular piece, O, each, so as to prepare them for a dovetail.

Fig. IV, the wedge, is long enough to extend quite across the plates, is a quarter of an inch thick, and seven eighths of an inch wide at one end, declining to, say five eighths at the other, being a bevel of one quarter of an inch to three inches and a half. The edge of this which is intended to be next the plate when the wedge is in its box, is beveled P, so as to form a miter joint with the triangular pieces on the divisions I, said bevel P, as well as that of the triangular pieces on the divisions I, being after an angle of forty five degrees. So constructed, the plates, Figs. II and III, maybe brought in contact, by passing the opening in Fig. III over the wedge box on Fig. II; when the wedge, if placed in its box and moderately forced, will hold them firmly together, as it will act equally both ways at the same time.

In applying this fastening I let Fig. II into the leg, in the case of bedsteads, half an inch, or until the back of plate Fig. III, when closed in Fig. II, is at least level with the surface of the wood. I then put plate, Fig. III, on the end of the rail, letting in the flange on t-he side or not as may be convenient, when the fastening will be ready for the application of the wedge.

The advantage of this fastening is that, the largest bedstead can be taken down or put up in a few minutes, and with no other implement than a small tack hammer. A counter or other fixtures, in stores, could, if secured to the iioors, or the dierent sections to each other, with. this fastening, be taken down as fast as they could be carried out.

The bearing of the wedge at the top of the box, being convex, but a small surface is presented to the back of the wedge, which is intended to admit of the rising and falling of the ends of the latter, so as to insure the closing of both the divisions I, in case of an irregularity. Ordinarily the friction afforded by this is sufficient, but if it should be found otherwise in any instances, the solid bearing could be superseded by a piece riveted in through the sides of the box, which would both present a straight surface to the back of the wedge, and move sufciently on its rivet, to admit of the same rising and falling in the ends.

The tongue F, in the groove C, aided by The combination substantially as dethe Wedge box and the divisions I, on the scribed, of the dovetail With the staple or other side, are sufficient to hold the plates mortised project-ion E, which I have termed in place, and are preferred to any other arthe Wedge boX, and its key, acting upon an 5 rangement as they interpose less diiculty inclined face, in the manner herein set forth. l5 ,ff

in itting the plates, before they are screwed to their places. SANDY HARRIS.

Having thus fully described my invention, W'itnesses: what I claim therein as new and desire to RIGHD. HOLEMAN, 10 secure by Letters Patent, is- H. GUMPERs. 

